1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a hard butter prepared by using vegetable oils or fats as the raw materials. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hard butter containing a selective hydrogenation-isomerization product of a rice bran oil having an iodine value of 97-108.
2. DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ARTS
As a conventional process for preparing a hard butter by hydrogenating a vegetable oil, there is a process disclosed in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 3,199,984. Moreover, the specification of British Pat. No. 1,214,321 discloses a process for preparing a hard butter by hydrogenating vegetable oils or fats and fractionating the resulting hydrogenation products. However, a conventional hard butter obtained by merely hydrogenating a vegetable oil or fat is defective in the point that it lacks the desired sharp melting property. The hard butter obtained by hydrogenating a vegetable oil or fat and fractionating the resulting hydrogenation product is insufficient in its compatibility with cocoa butter. Therefore, it causes a remarkable decrease of the melting point of chocolate, which causes insufficient hardness and insufficient heat resistance of the chocolate, and it often causes fatblooming of the chocolate depending on the starting oils and fats.